Other coaching milestones have included the formation of the International Coach Federation (ICF) Hungarian Chapter in 2008, while in 2012, the Federation of Hungarian Coach Organizations was established, with eight member organisations representing most professional coaches in the country.

Earlier this year, the Academy of Executive Coaching launched executive coach training in the country.

The ICF is currently the only active professional coaching body in Hungary, although this is now set to change with the AC’s foray into the region. The European Mentoring and Coaching Council does have a local representative, but it has not yet consolidated
its position.

There are now around 70 ICF ACC and PCC-level certified coaches in Hungary, of which Judit Ábri von Bartheld is one (PCC-credentialled).

Two Hungarian coaches are MCC-credentialled, but neither live in Hungary.

Ábri von Bartheld, director of Coaching Without Borders, a training programme for coaches about coaching, welcomed the AC’s initiative:

“For us Hungarian coaches, it is a great learning opportunity that the AC’s annual conference is coming to Hungary. For two days, somewhere between 150 and 200 highly experienced coaches will be in Budapest and it will be wonderful to have professional exchanges with them,” she said.

Coaching Without Borders has also been very proactive in bringing “international coach gurus” over as part of its event series, offering workshops almost every month of the year.

So far these have included John Whitmore, Myles Downey, David Clutterbuck, Robert Dilts, John Blakey, Jonathan Passmore and
many others.

 Next issue: a special report on coaching in Hungary by Judit Ábri von Bartheld